Internal streamer (Devialet Expert) at the end of 2016

[blair.athol]

I really like this forum and I enjoyed listening to new music recommended from all of you as well as getting good ideas for improvements in the past years. Nevertheless, I am getting more and more the impression that it is easier for some of us to live in the vale of tears as you'll always find good fellows joining in complaints.

[hk6230]

I'd call anyone spending money on an Expert series product after june 2013 mad. People spending money on any Expert series product in H1 2016 are just plain crazy and those buying an OdA in 2016 should be committed to a mental hospital!

I'm planning to get an OdA, so I better book a bed at my local mental hospital.

[bernardl]

I'd call anyone spending money on an Expert series product after june 2013 mad. People spending money on any Expert series product in H1 2016 are just plain crazy and those buying an OdA in 2016 should be committed to a mental hospital!

Why so?

Objectively, the sound produced now is better than it was when the initial Devialet was released, there are more connectivity options,...

Yes, Devialet tried to open new doors and not all them led in successful directions but we didn't lose anything in the process, did we?

We may not be were you hoped we would be, but we are still in a place that more than justifies the asking price IMHO.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Antoine]

EVOThe permanent upgrade

Devialet Expert systems are designed to perpetually remain state-of-the-art. 

The EVO platform, the electronic architecture of Devialet Expert systems, is fully driven by upgradeable software. As such, your Devialet undergoes constant improvement via free, regular updates, for ever improved features and performance.


The original "EVO promise" above, copy-pasted from the Devialet website, has become more of a planned obsolesence strategy in 2013 to me, to generate revenue. Original D-Premier owners were anything but amused when the 110/170 were introduced, basically identical to the D-Premier but at much lower prices. Differences were mostly artificial/cosmetical. Market values of the D-Premier plummeted and little has been really gained for those that upgraded to 250 specs and paid €3.5k/device for it.

Let's just say I hope Devialet has learned from this for the sake of the owners of the current generation of hardware and especially the expensive OdA and release a hardware upgrade not merely evolutionary with minor incremental changes, using marketing that hails it as revolutionary and "state of the art" and charging >3000 euro per device again.

Consider me extremely sceptical in all this. Devialet in their imaginary ivory tower, doesn't seem intent to learn anything from their vocal customers. Dealers, in general, lack the technical understanding or don't care as long as they they sell. Those that are critical may even fear losing their dealership or not being invited to fancy events like the one recently in Versailles.

[Teliaved]

Hi Antoine and DC chatters,

I think the EVO platform was introduced with the 110/170/240 , and was not the architecture in place in the original D Premiers. Is this correct?
And these days, 5 years of stability for a hardware platform that remains top notch is already a tour de force.
I sometime think Devialet might keep some of its customers happier without this free software upgrade story. One release a year, new numbering, new pricing. Sw upgrade at the cost of pricing difference.
Simple.
What do you think?

Regards
Francois

[bernardl]

With all due respect, you may be mixing up 3 things of different nature:
1. The free delivery of software updates and new capabilities,
2. The paid hardware updates,
3. The expansion of the Devialet range of products downards.

It is true that the pace at which Devialet moves results in cheaper amplifiers performing better and better, just like cheaper cameras perfrom better and better, cheaper TVs perform better and better,...

This doesn't remove anything from the capabilities of the amp you own that did, on the contrary, also improve thanks to software upgrades.

If you see you amp as an investement and re-sell value is important for you more than the increase of absolute sound quality/capabilities, then you are probably better off "investing" into a class A or tube amp weighting 150kg.

Personally I couldn't care less about re-sell value, because I am very happy about the way my D250 drives my Wilson Benesch speakers, to me it sounds better than pretty much anything else I have heard elsewhere (and sometimes much pricier set ups), is super easy to use with Audirvana on iPad and just works day in day out through USB while not occupying too much space in my living room in Tokyo.

I knew what I was going to get and I keep enjoying the value delivered.

Cheers,
Bernard

[GuillaumeB]

Some very interesting posts chaps. 

My understanding is that the key benefits of the first (DP) hardware update were:

- a wider range of digital inputs
- SAM
- increases in power particularly in dual mono configuration, in some cases substantial (for e.g. from 500W to 800W)

In addition and subjectively some have claimed some SQ improvements too.

Are DP owners able to use DSD (MAT) and RAM, ICM and DPM? My understanding is not. I've never really bothered with ICM and DPM but for some I would guess that DSD support was a welcome addition. I'm not a vinyl user either, again I understand that many have appreciated this additional level of flexibility and control.

Will it be possible to upgrade a DP to the next new hardware platform (new class D etc)? If not it will be another benefit derived from having upgraded in the first place. Let's not forget that this is the first real ADH evolution we have seen in 4 or 5 years.

With all that said I do share some of the concerns expressed on this forum about Devialet's lack of customer advocacy and I'm sure most on here would agree that Devialet's dealing of the AIR problem has been pretty dire. 

Guillaume

[bernardl]

With all that said I do share some of the concerns expressed on this forum about Devialet's lack of customer advocacy and I'm sure most on here would agree that Devialet's dealing of the AIR problem has been pretty dire. 

Absolutely, Devialet managed to generate a lot of passion among early buyers in particular, and they have largely understimated what it takes to keep some of those users happy.

Btw, still no visibility about the date of the announcement?

Cheers,
Bernard

[brit]

It all seems totally perverse when dealers (some?) were treated to a very high class "shindig", in Paris, at the beginning of May, with a seemingly expensive meal, and presentation, at Versaille, (at which they had to sign an NDA) and now, 1 month, later, we still have silence from Devialet . Everything we have on this DC forum is pure speculation and guesswork - unless some posters have more concrete knowledge that is . Appreciate that a Beta AIR for Mac users has been released (possibly by mistake it might appear), but there is NO real info about any FW, SW or Hardware updates as yet.


David

[GuillaumeB]

Btw, still no visibility about the date of the announcement?

I have been told I will know more in 2-3 weeks. 

Guillaume